Sanitary meat-clamp.



W. J. RICE.

SANITARY MEAT CLAMP.

AEPLIUATION FILED JULY 14, 1914.

1,131,615, Patented M21129, 1915.

WILLIAM J. RICE, OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS.

SANITARY MEAT-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed July 14, 1914.. Serial No. 850,943.

To all whom it may concern:

3e it known that 1, WILLIAM J. Bron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corpus Christi, in the county of N'euces, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Meat- Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta ins to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps adapted for application to meat blocks commonly; used in butcher shops, whereby meat in bulk may be securely held thereto while being cut or sawed.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of an appliance of this character which is adapted to firmly clamp the meat without mutilating same or puncturing the face of the block as is the case with the steak pin or other devices at present employed for the purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a meat clamp in which the main clamping element may be readily adjusted to permit of same being positioned in any desired locality on the meat.

A still further object is to provide a supplemental clamping element which may be used in conjunction with the main clamping elenient,-means being provided for moving said elements into and out of clamping position.

ith the above and other objects of similar nature in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, set forth in and falling with in the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown as applied to a meat block, Fig. 2 is a front view thereof, Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the clamping elements, and Fig. 4: is a rear elevation of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the device comprises the spaced uprights 10 and 11 which are secured at their lower ends to the meat block A and extend above the cutting face thereof. These uprights are provided adjacent their upper ends with transverse alined openings 12, in which are j ournaled the reduced ends 13 of a horizontal shaft 14.

Mounted for rotation with the shaft 14 and fixedly secured thereto in any suitable manner is an inverted U-shaped supporting member 15, the legs 16 of which straddle said shaft and are provided adjacent their ends with squared openings 17. Bridging the U-shaped member and slidably engaged in the openings 17 therein is the squared shank 18 of the main clamping element 19, the forward end of which terminates in a rectangular clamping head 20 having its lower edge slightly concaved and roughened as at 21 to insure a firm grip being obtained upon the meat. It will be noted that because of 'the adjustable mounting of the clamping element 19, the same may be readily moved across the face of the block A to permit of the clamping head 20 being placed in any desired locality on the meat to be out.

Formed integral with and projecting below one leg of the member 15, are the spaced apertured ears 22 between which is journaled a shaft 23. Fixed to this shaft and disposed below the clamping element 20, is a supplemental clamping element 24, the free end of which is provided with a head 25 similar to the clamping head 20.

To move the element 19 into and out of clamping position, there is fixed to the shaft 1% and adjustably engaged with a segment 26 formed on the upright 10, the lever 27, said lever being adapted to swing the head 20 into engagement with the meat to be cut and held in such position by means of the hand-operated pawl 28.

For operating the supplemental clamping element, there is provided a lever 29 the lower end of which is in the form of a yoke 30 that straddles the shank of the element 19 and is pivotally connected to id supplemental clamp adjacent the head 25 thereof. Arranged between the arms of the yoke is a pin 31 which, when the element 19 is in clamping position and the lever 29 moved rearwardly, slidably engages the under face of the shank 18 and forces the head 25 downwardly and into clamping relation with the meat.

What is claimed is:

1. A meat clamp comprising spaced uprights adapted for application to a meat block, a shaft journaled in said uprights, a U-shaped supporting member fixed to said shaft and having guide means formed in the legs thereof, a clamping element slidably engaged in said guides and adapted to be swung into and out of clamping relation with the meat, and means for retaining said element in clamping position.

2. A meat clamp comprising spaced uprights, a shaft joui'naled in said uprights, a supporting member fixed to said shaft, a mainclamping element carried by said supporting member, a supplemental clamping element also carried by said supporting member and adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the meat when said 10 main clamping element is in clamping position, and means for operating said elements.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM J. RICE. Witnesses:

A. N. DEERING, J. T. STEELE.

Cbpie: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

